The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Colocasia commonly known as the taro plant or elephant ears. Colocasia is grown as a food crop or for use as an ornamental for container or the landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Colocasia esculenta and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘BLACK CORAL’.
Colocasia is a tuberous rooted perennial which is native to tropical Asia and Polynesia. It grows to 1.5-2 m in height from starchy tubers. The leaves of COLOCASIA are heart-shaped and very large in size. The tuberous roots are cooked and eaten as a starchy staple in many tropical areas. It is also grown as ornamental plants for the landscape in warmer climates or as a container plant in colder areas.
The new Colocasia variety named ‘BLACK CORAL’ is the product of a formal breeding program of the University of Hawaii, Kula. The purpose of the breeding program was to develop new commercial varieties by combining attributes not found in currently commercially available varieties.
‘BLACK CORAL’ is a seedling selection from the controlled pollination between the female parent breeding line ‘2002-202’ (unpatented) and male parent variety ‘Diamond Head’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,939). Initially designated as ‘2006-147’, ‘BLACK CORAL’ was selected in 2006.
‘BLACK CORAL’ exhibits large dark purple almost black colored leaves with a glossy finish. ‘BLACK CORAL’ produces uniform dark burgundy colored petioles. ‘BLACK CORAL’ is similar in size to its female parent and has glossy dark purple to almost black leaves compared to its female parent whose leaves have a matte surface and are colored purple. ‘BLACK CORAL’ is similar in plant size, leaf color and glossy leaf to its male parent, ‘Diamond Head’. However ‘BLACK CORAL’ exhibits an even darker, blacker leaf color with slightly bluish glossy venation. In addition, ‘BLACK CORAL’ exhibits prolific basal branching. In these aspects, this new variety differs from both of its parents.
The closest comparison variety known to the inventor is its male parent, ‘Diamond Head’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,939) as described and compared above.
The traditional means of asexual propagation of the genus Colocasia is the excision and replanting of a shoot which consists of the apical 1 cm-2 cm portion of the plant corm with the attached basal 15 cm-20 cm portion of the petiole. In regions of the world where Colocasia is grown, this plant shoot is known as a “huli”, and the means of propagation is known as “huli propagation.” Asexual propagation of hulis of ‘BLACK CORAL’ began in 2006 in Hawaii by the inventor using huli propagation whereby the apical shoots are separated from the plant by cutting the shoot at the top of the corm immediately above the newest leaf scar and planted. Evaluation in field studies have shown the unique features of ‘BLACK CORAL’ to be stable, uniform, and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.